DRBC adds 30 days to drilling comment period
The Delaware River Basin Commission approved a 30-day extension of the public comment period for its proposed natural gas drilling regulations on Wednesday.
The extension had been requested by lawmakers and dozens of environmental organizations but opposed by a coalition of Marcellus Shale drillers, who said that an extension would “undermine dialogue on these proposed regulations by granting those with the least involvement and direct affiliation with the river basin disproportionate impact.”
Commissioners from Delaware, New Jersey, New York and the federal government voted for the extension during a meeting in New Jersey on Wednesday. The commissioner from Pennsylvania opposed it.
Written comments on the draft rules will now be accepted until April 15.
The commissioners did not schedule additional public hearings on the draft regulations as the environmental groups requested.
Three hearings were held last week in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but the groups asked for more hearings in more regions of the basin, including New York City and Philadelphia, “the two largest population centers that rely on the Delaware River for water supplies.”
The Marcellus Shale Coalition sent a letter to each of the commission members last Friday saying an extension of the comment period would “detract from the voices of the key stakeholders heard throughout the process.”
“Those with the greatest stake – including landowners, residents of the basin, and our member companies who are investing capital and creating jobs in the region – have been actively reviewing and responding to the proposals since late last year, without the need for an extended comment period,” coalition president Kathryn Klaber wrote.
The text of the proposed regulations and a link to submit comments electronically are at www.drbc.net. About 2,500 comments have been submitted to the commission so far.
By Laura Legere (Staff Writer)
Published: March 3, 2011
llegere@timesshamrock.com
http://citizensvoice.com/news/drilling/drbc-adds-30-days-to-drilling-comment-period-1.1113198#axzz1FY5MNqYe